News

The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday strongly recommended that the City Council reject proposed guidelines for gated communities, saying such construction would go against everything the city stands for.

WATSONVILLE—Volumes of praise and thanks, mixed with a handful of official proclamations, filled the sunny afternoon air at a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance headquarters at the corner of East Lake and Brewington avenues Thursday. “So many of us...

Officers from Watsonville Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and the Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force arrested the 16-year-old on the 800 block of Vista Montana Drive on Wednesday.

Summer is in full swing along the Central Coast, and with it comes a surge in outdoor activity and recreation. From mountain biking to horseback riding, fishing to swimming, the Pajaro Valley in particular has plenty to offer.  Hiking is perhaps the most popular and...

APTOS—Plans were announced Thursday of a major renovation of Willowbrook County Park to honor the late Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was gunned down in the line of duty in 2020. The project of “reimagining” the park was announced in a brief...

WATSONVILLE—Judy Doering Nielsen’s love for the Watsonville community led her to become thoroughly entrenched in its inner workings, from its history to its politics to its people. She served as Watsonville Mayor and President of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association (PVHA), in addition to a...

WATSONVILLE—A new program has launched at Envision Fitness & Nutrition in downtown Watsonville, aiming to support youth by teaching them about health, wellness, stress management and more. Envision opened in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. They began with virtual health and fitness classes,...

WATSONVILLE—The two Santa Cruz County Board members who voted against firing former CEO Dave Kegebein during a Oct. 4 meeting were terminated from their positions Friday in abrupt phone calls from the Governor’s office. Because county fairgrounds are owned by the state, fair board members...

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank volunteer Paul Garcia knows the importance of giving back to his community. “I was a heroin addict for many years… I tore this town up,” he said. “So now I’m giving back.” Garcia has been a volunteer for Second Harvest for 11...

Ivan Alcaraz spent the entirety of his childhood education in Pajaro Valley Unified School District.